November 29, 2007

New Blood at Pillsbury

The McLean, Va. office of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman didn’t fare so well in the past year. In fact, the office’s headcount dropped from 88 lawyers and 31 partners in 2006 to 68 lawyers and 24 partners in 2007. A dozen of the departed, including former Pillsbury rainmaker, Lawrence Gotts, jumped to Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker’s D.C. office. Still, in October John Jensen, managing partner of Pillsbury’s McLean outfit, insisted to Legal Times that his office was “doing terrifically.”

This week, Pillsbury’s Northern Virginia locale did get some reinforcements. It picked up the former head of Bingham McCutchen's firmwide government contracts practice, Joël Van Over, for its own government contracts & disputes practice. “It is one of the areas that management at the firm has identified as an area that they’re seeking assistance of recruiters in building,” says Jensen, adding that Van Over brought “more than enough” business with her to keep her busy. He says she’s currently working on litigation for a technology client, as well as counseling matters and a bid protest.

Van Over is a litigator, with a background in government contracts, employment, and intellectual property matters. According to the press release, she has practiced in Washington for more than 20 years. “Pillsbury’s industry-centric, multidisciplinary structure will allow me to draw on all of my previous experiences,” Van Over said in the release.

"Joël's a talented lawyer, and we wish her the best at Pillsbury," Bingham McCutchen's Washington co-managing partner Barry Direnfeld said in an email.